Recommended Free Tools
In Agnes Sam’s short story A Bag of Sweets, Kaltoum gives her estranged sister Khadija a bag of sweets after initially ignoring her at the family shop. The gesture can be read as an attempt to dismiss Khadija, but it also interrupts Kaltoum’s refusal to engage. The story leaves open whether that moment signals forgiveness: its ending suggests longing, not a confirmed reconciliation.
Story context: who are Kaltoum and Khadija?
A Bag of Sweets is by Agnes Sam and is listed in Changes: An Anthology of Short Stories, edited by B. Walter, in a South African prescribed-literature listing. The KZN English First Additional Language learner booklet published by EduResourceZA in 2023 frames the story as a school text and includes an extract. See the prescribed-literature listing and the learner booklet.
Kaltoum and Khadija are sisters. Their relationship has become strained after Khadija marries a Christian man. Khadija visits the family shop, where Kaltoum works, hoping to restore contact. The family’s rejection is also associated in study materials with the parents’ deaths after the marriage and Kaltoum’s resentment that Khadija did not tell her beforehand. These are characters’ beliefs and grievances; the account does not establish that the marriage caused the parents’ deaths.
Why does Kaltoum give Khadija sweets?
Kaltoum first ignores Khadija and keeps busy with shop tasks. She eventually puts sweets into a paper bag and gives it to her sister. A secondary study document reports that Kaltoum describes the action as a way “to get rid of” Khadija. That stated intention makes the bag potentially dismissive: a small treat stands in for a conversation Kaltoum will not have.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute#1 Best Overall
But the gesture also breaks the pattern of total avoidance. Kaltoum’s actions and feelings do not align neatly: the story’s account notes her response to Khadija’s resemblance to their deceased mother, and later her waiting for Khadija. Those moments can suggest that affection survives beneath the hostility, though they do not prove that Kaltoum has decided to reconcile. Because the available study account is not a verified primary edition, check the assigned anthology for exact wording before quoting the story.
What does the bag of sweets symbolize?
The bag is best read as an ambiguous symbol rather than as a simple token of kindness or a definite apology. Its meaning depends on the tension between Kaltoum’s stated wish to send Khadija away and the fact that she gives her something instead of maintaining silence. It can signify rejection, a reluctant form of contact, or both at once.
Rank #2
That ambiguity reflects the wider conflict: family loyalty and religious expectations collide with the bond between two sisters. The sweets cannot settle that conflict, and the story does not ask readers to treat the family’s judgment as unquestionable. It shows the consequences of resentment and exclusion while leaving room to notice attachment in Kaltoum’s behavior.
Does Kaltoum forgive Khadija at the end?
The ending, as summarized in the study material, does not confirm forgiveness or reunion. Khadija eventually stops visiting, and Kaltoum waits for her. Waiting may indicate regret, loneliness, or a wish for renewed contact; it is evidence that the separation matters to Kaltoum, not proof that either sister has made peace with the other.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallRank #3
The unresolved ending asks readers to distinguish a possible emotional change from a completed reconciliation. A thoughtful answer can say that Kaltoum appears less untouched by the estrangement than she first claims, while acknowledging that the story does not show the sisters resolving it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to support a classroom interpretation
For a response about the story’s conflict, symbol, or ending, build an argument from a specific moment in the assigned text rather than relying on a theme label alone. Useful evidence to examine includes:
Rank #4
- What Kaltoum says about Khadija compared with what she does when Khadija visits.
- How the sweets may function as an insult, a gift, or an uneasy opening for contact.
- How religious and family expectations shape the estrangement, without treating the characters’ explanations as proven fact.
- What Kaltoum’s reaction to Khadija and her later waiting might imply—and what the ending still leaves unresolved.
When making claims about Kaltoum’s motives, mark them as interpretations and support them with the relevant passage. The secondary study document summarizes the plot and themes, but it is not a substitute for checking quotations and details in the anthology used for class.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →
